Between Light and Dark
by thewulf
Summary: When Emma finds out about Operation Mongoose, Regina turns to Mr. Gold to help her take down Emma. In the meantime, Henry faces moral struggles of his own. Set during S4A. THIS IS NOT A REGINA FRIENDLY STORY. Regina is listed as a character because she is one of the main characters in the story. I love constructive reviews. :-)
1. Between Light and Dark

A/N: THIS IS NOT A REGINA FRIENDLY STORY. Regina is listed as a character because she is one of the main characters in the story. Please do not expect authors to follow tumblr tagging etiquette here.

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><p>"And when you catch her, don't kill her—put her under a Sleeping curse," said Henry. Henry and Regina were standing in Regina's kitchen, discussing the latest developments in their quest to defeat the Snow Queen.<p>

"You want me to put the Snow Queen under the Sleeping Curse?" asked Regina, her eyebrow lifting in surprise.

"When Zelena died, all her magic got reversed. If you kill the Snow Queen, it'll reverse _her_ magic, which means Marian will get unfrozen. If you put her under the Sleeping Curse, she won't die, but none of her curses will break," explained Henry in a matter of fact voice.

Regina began, "Henry! I made a promise to Robin that I would find a way to break the Curse of Marian…"

"Everyone knows you tried your best with Marian, mom—it won't be your fault," said Henry. "This is the perfect way to keep Operation Mongoose on track in case we don't find the author of the Storybook, and make them give you a Happy Ending."

"Henry!"

Regina and Henry both turned to look at the doorway, where Emma stood with a shocked expression in her face.

"What's going on here?" she asked. Regina's face looked disturbed, while Henry looked a little ashamed and defiant. Neither of them said anything.

"Henry, what have you been hiding from me? What is Operation Mongoose?" asked Emma, taking a step towards him.

"It's a secret. It's between me and my mom. I can't tell you what it is," said Henry.

"Yes, you can. And you _are_ going to tell me what it's all about. You don't get to keep secrets from me just because you have two mothers," said Emma.

"You were perfectly okay with Operation Cobra. This is something I have with Regina now," said Henry, in a stubborn tone. Emma saw Regina give a smirk at that, and felt anger boiling up within her.

"That was different—and you know it. And you're grounded for taking that tone with me," replied Emma. "Now, go and wait outside the room. I need to talk to Regina alone."

Henry looked defiant, and glanced at Regina for support. Regina merely nodded at him, indicating that he should do what Emma asked, upon which, Henry stalked out of the room with a deliberately heavy tread.

"Did I just hear Henry—_Henry_, tell you to put someone under a Sleeping Curse?" asked Emma.

"Henry's a teenager. He didn't mean it—he's just going through a phase," said Regina.

"Since when has Henry been okay with putting people under Sleeping Curses?" said Emma. "That's not typical teenager talk."

"And you know how typical teenagers talk because you jumped from home to home in foster care as a kid?" mocked Regina.

"Thanks to you, yes," replied Emma.

"Don't blame me for that! Your _charming_ parents thought it was a wonderful idea to sick a newborn into a cupboard and send it into the great unknown," said Regina, in a snarky tone. "At least your brother fared better!"

"They did it because _you_ sent your guards to murder a newborn so you could get your Happy Ending. From what I just overheard, you're still trying to destroy a life to get your Happy Ending, _and_ involving Henry in your scheme," said Emma.

"After everything, if you think I am capable of planning something like _that_, that's not my problem—it's yours," said Regina. "I have changed, and I don't need to prove it to anyone."

"I saw the other day that you are still capable of keeping someone trapped in a mirror, under your beck and call, just like you did with Graham," said Emma. Regina's eyes flashed, and she took a step toward Emma, her fist curling a little.

"When I saw you burn my mother alive in the past, I wanted to have nothing to do with you once I got back to Storybrooke. But I kept reminding myself that you were not the same person, for Henry's sake, because he wanted you in his life. But I clearly made a mistake— you are turning him into someone like you," said Emma.

"Oh really?" said Regina with a little laugh. "And tell me, who is someone like me?"

"A person willing to destroy other people for the sake of their own Happy Ending," said Emma.

Regina looked as though Emma had slapped her.

"You know nothing about me," said Regina. "Now, get out of my house before I do something you'll regret."

"I am leaving. And I'm taking Henry back with me," said Emma.

"So he can live in an overcrowded loft with ten other people?" scoffed Regina.

"Some things are more important than living in comfort, and it will be a good lesson for Henry to learn. I can't let him stay a minute longer with you and risk him going Dark," said Emma.

"You think Henry, of all people, is capable of "going Dark"? You should know better than that. He has the heart of the Truest Believer," said Regina, with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Pan said he wanted Henry's heart because he has both Light and Dark in him. That's what makes him the Truest Believer. Anyone can be tempted towards Evil, and your influence seems to be leading him there," said Emma.

"Careful, Miss Swan! You can't take Henry from me. You already tried that once, and failed. Your pitiful control of magic is already slipping. Don't think you are powerful enough to stand up to me!" warned Regina.

"Watch me!" said Emma. She opened both her hands in a quick outward motion, and a shaft of white light shot out of her palms, throwing Regina backward. She lost her balance and fell down on the floor.

"Don't come near Henry, or you'll regret it," said Emma, and stalked out of the room.

Regina heard Henry arguing with Emma as they walked out of the house, shutting the door behind them as they left. Regina's mouth twisted into a snarl, and she whispered, "You'll be the one to regret it, Miss Swan! You have no idea what I'll do to get my son back."


	2. The Truest Believer

A/N: THIS IS NOT A REGINA FRIENDLY STORY. Please heed the warning. Regina is listed as a character because she is one of the main characters in the story. Please do not expect authors to follow tumblr tagging etiquette here.

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><p>Mr. Gold heard the tinkling of the bell attached to the front door of the shop announcing the arrival of a visitor. He lifted his eyes from the ornamental piece of jewelry he was occupied with cleaning, to see who it was.<p>

"What may I assist you with, Regina?" asked Mr. Gold, when he saw the former Evil Queen walk up to him.

"Cut the crap. I need your help," said Regina, a hard edge to her voice.

Gold gave a half-smile and said, "Cutting straight to the chase, are we? What if I'm not interested in helping?"

"I don't have time for your games," said Regina, her eyes flashing in anger and impatience.

"But what's in it for me, dearie? You don't expect me to just help you out of the kindness of my heart, do you?" asked Mr. Gold.

"I'm ready to make a deal in exchange for your help," said Regina, grudgingly.

"You have my full attention," said Gold, with a giggle. He placed one arm on the counter, rested his face against his hand, and looked expectantly at Regina.

"You're starting to sound more and more like the imp you really are," said Regina. "I suppose Belle's into that these days. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Lacey didn't exactly leave the building."

Mr. Gold merely gave her a look.

"I need your help to take down Emma. She's got Henry, and is keeping me from seeing him," said Regina.

Gold raised his eyebrow, "I seem to be having bad flashbacks to the days before Miss Swan broke your Dark Curse."

Regina hesitated for a moment and said, "Henry and I had a secret… mission going on. Emma found out, and overreacted."

"Secret mission? How intriguing! Do tell what it was all about," said Gold.

"The details are unimportant," said Regina.

"If I am to help you against Miss Swan, I want to know what exactly I am getting into. Of course, I can always get the details from Henry when he comes to work this evening," said Mr. Gold.

"If she lets him come, which I doubt," said Regina.

"And why is that?" asked Gold.

"Miss Swan thinks I am a bad influence on Henry, and thinks she needs to keep him away from me. If she's keeping him from his own mother, I doubt she'll let him anywhere near the Dark One," said Regina, a bitter note in her voice.

"After everything she's let slide so far, she changed her mind now?" wondered Gold. "What did you do, Regina? It must have been something serious."

Regina hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Henry and I were trying to find the author of the Storybook, and Henry may have gotten a little carried away at one point."

"In…triguing," said Gold, shifting his stance, and letting his arms rest on the counter. "So that's why he was so eager to work with me. All that sentimental dialogue he spouted about me being the closest thing to his father… Miss Swan is not too far off in her instincts, I think. Henry _is_ a product of both Light and Dark magic. And the Evil Queen being his adopted mother, may in fact, tip the balance slightly in favor of the Dark Side."

"What nonsense!" said Regina. "You think this is Star Wars? Henry is not going over to the "Dark Side"."

"That remains to be seen. By the way, why were you so eager to find the author of the book? You never took much interest in the Storybook before."

"That's none of your business," said Regina.

Rumple gave her a speculating look. "Let me guess: you want to find the author of the book, and force that person to give you a Happy Ending."

Regina looked a little startled, but she quickly recovered herself, and asked, "What makes you think that?"

"I've known you for a long time, Regina. You've always been out to get your Happy Ending at any cost," said Rumple.

"I'm not the monster you helped create anymore, Rumple," said Regina, gritting her teeth.

"And yet, here you are, asking me to help you take down Miss Swan, just like you used to do," said Rumple.

"Henry is _all _I have, and I'll do anything to get my son back. Anything!" said Regina.

"Hmm…" said Rumple, noncommittally. "I would have thought the Blue Fairy was the most likely candidate to have authored the book," said Rumple.

"She was the first person we eliminated. She's didn't seem to have a clue about who could have written it. She just pontificated on the power of hope to Henry," said Regina with scorn.

"How typical," said Rumple. He added in a different, more interested tone, "You know, Regina, I would like to find who wrote the Storybook myself. I didn't work that into the design of the Dark Curse. I want to know who in Storybrooke is powerful enough to have created it."

"What do you need to find that for? You already have your Happy Ending," said Regina.

"Yes… losing my son after I spent centuries to find him is exactly the Happy Ending I was looking for," said Gold with sarcasm.

"I meant Belle," said Regina is a slightly softened voice.

"Belle certainly is the best thing to happen to me in a very long time," said Mr. Gold. "Here's my offer, Regina. I'll help you find who the author of the Storybook is, _and_ I'll help you take down Miss Swan. On one condition."

"What is it?" asked Regina.

"If you succeed in capturing the Snow Queen, I want you to hand her over to me. She and I go way back, and we have some unfinished business to take care of," said Rumple.

"Why am I not surprised? By the way, what's Belle going to think when she finds out that you're back to making shady deals?" asked Regina, in a mocking tone of voice. "Don't you need to get her permission or something?"

"That's between me and Belle," said Rumple.

"She doesn't have the Dagger, does she?" asked Regina, in a sudden burst of illumination.

Rumple raised his eyebrows and gave her a look. Regina smiled as though she was the cat that had caught the canary.

"Don't try to deny it. I know you as well as you know me, Rumple. But, don't worry—I won't tell anyone," said Regina.

"You're not going to try and use it as leverage against me?" asked Rumple, raising his brow.

"What, you think I'm an idiot?" asked Regina.

"Clearly not," said Rumple, with a smirk. "So, do we have a deal?"

"Oh, yes," replied Regina.

"Good!" said Rumple. "Let's set to work then, shall we? Have you tried a magical trace on the Storybook?"

"Obviously, that's the first thing I did," said Regina. "It didn't work."

"I may be able to help you with that. Where's the book?" asked Rumple.

Regina snapped her fingers, and the Storybook materialized on top of the counter between Regina and Gold.

"Good," said Rumple, and stood up. He then took out his Dagger from underneath the counter and passed it over the book. Numerous sparkling points of light arose from the book and hovered over it. Rumple gave a flick of his wrist to the Dagger, at which, the spots of light rose en masse, and started moving towards the open window. Regina got up to follow it, when Gold stopped her.

"There's no need to run around, dearie," he said. He took out a clear glass globe from one of his cabinets and placed in on the counter-top. He made a wavy gesture over the sphere with both his hands. The moving specks of light appeared in the globe. Regina and Rumple watched intently as it moved across town as a unit, weaving elegantly between obstacles.

"Wait a minute, is that the Charmings' house?" asked Regina in a tone of marked disbelief, as the spots of light stopped in front of a building.

"It does appear to be the case," said Rumple, with a very interested expression on his face. Regina shifted her stance to peer closer at the globe.

They watched at the little dots rose to the level of the upper floor and entered the room through an open window. The view shifted to the interior of the room. Henry was sleeping in a cot by the window, his limbs akimbo, and hair ruffled as his head rested against a pillow. The shining spots of light hovered over Henry's sleeping form for a moment before they sunk into him and vanished.

Regina looked at Rumple with a flabbergasted expression on her face. Rumple's face looked speculative.

"Looks like you found your answer," said Rumple.

"This is ridiculous! Your spell must have gone wrong," said Regina.

"No, it did not. After all, it makes sense, doesn't it? Henry has the heart of the Truest Believer, and unknown to himself, that power within him made this book appear when he needed hope the most," said Rumple.

"But Henry doesn't have any magic," said Regina. "It would have manifested a long time ago, if he had."

"It did reveal itself—in the creation of the book. Sometimes, magical abilities manifest in only one specific power. Take our _beloved_ queen Elsa for example. She only has ice powers. Henry's power, it appears, is the ability to manifest his belief or hope in material form."

"I… I still don't believe it," said Regina, still in a daze. Despite her protestation, Mr. Gold could tell that she was beginning to accept the idea that Henry was the accidental creator of the Storybook.

"The question is: what are you going to do about it?" asked Rumple.

"What do you mean?" asked Regina.

"Well, it appears that Henry's magic controls the book. As Henry's magic resides in his heart, the person who controls his heart, controls the book," said Rumple.

"If you _dare_ touch my son…" began Regina.

"I'm not the one out to force a Happy Ending for myself. You are," said Rumple.

"You think I will harm my son just to get my Happy Ending?" scoffed Regina. "I love him more than anything in all the Realms."

"Just like you loved your father. And look where that got him," said Rumple.

Regina stared at him, as though he had slapped her.

"I am not that person anymore," she ground out.

"They all say that. And yet, when the test comes… every single person fails," said Rumple. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go plot ways to take down Miss Swan. Just remember to keep your end of the bargain, dearie!"

Mr. Gold put away the globe, and sitting down, bent his head back to his work. Regina slowly walked out of the Shop, a disturbed expression on her face.

Once she had gone, and the door had swung-to behind her, Rumplestiltskin got up, carefully put away his Dagger underneath the floorboards, and sealed it with magic. He _had_ been surprised to find that Henry was the author of the Storybook. That was a twist even he had not foreseen. He giggled to himself. It had been so easy to play Regina—as always. Only Regina would have believed that tomfoolery about controlling Henry's heart to change her Happy Ending. He merely needed a pawn to take the fall when Henry disappeared.

He now knew that Henry had magic—magic that could be used to power-up the Sorcerer's hat. Henry may be his last link to Bealfire, but the knowledge that his grandson had easily manipulated him using his father's name brought the Seer's prophecy back into stark reminder. As long as Henry was alive, he would be his undoing one day. And after all, people who went inside the Hat did not die. They… well, they were just trapped inside the hat. Forever.

He was going to fill the Sorcerer's Hat with every single magical being in town if that was what it took to activate its powers. He was unable to touch Elsa, thanks to her interfering sister Anna's command when she had briefly wielded the Dagger. But everyone else in Town was fair game—the Snow Queen, Emma, the useless fairies, and even Regina. He would just need to find a proper scapegoat to blame each of their disappearances on.

Regina knew about the Dagger-switch, and therefore, was a threat to his happiness. He would find a way to put Regina into the Hat. Perhaps use Henry as leverage. There were so many possibilities. Rumple promised himself that he would let nobody drive a wedge between himself and Belle. She was the one light in his life, and he was not going to let anybody steal that from him. He would get rid of the foolish blackmailing pirate after he used him to trap Miss Swan. Once he had fully activated the Hat and obtained its powers, he would be able to rid himself of the control of the Dagger once and for all. Then, there would be time enough to be the person Belle believed him to be. Mr. Gold smiled to himself, and went back to his work.

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><p>AN: The idea that Henry's the author of the Storybook is not mine. There are more chapters to come, with additional characters including Captain Hook. Please review! Thanks to those who left reviews on the first chapter!


	3. The Stowaway

Killian stood at the helm of the elegant little sail boat, gazing at the Storybrooke shoreline in the distance. It was one of the many unclaimed boats that lined the little Storybrooke harbor, and he had commandeered it. He much preferred a sailboat to a motorized vessel, even though he was well able to manage the modern contraptions. He loved mornings like this—when he was sailing by himself, with seagulls circling overhead, a steady wind to drive the sails, and nobody else for miles around.

He had taken to sailing early every morning—too early for anyone but a few ardent fishermen. Even the fishermen hadn't been out much lately—the ice wall surrounding the town extended into the ocean, and not many fishes were making their way through the gaps into the cooler waters enclosed by the ice. The townsfolk had to make do without seafood until the Snow Witch could be defeated, it seemed.

A sudden noise distracted Hook from his musings, and as he turned, he was astonished to find Henry stepping out from the cabin door.

"Henry!" exclaimed Killian. "What are you doing here?"

"I got into the boat before you came to the docks. I know you take it out every morning," said Henry.

"Okay…" said Killian warily. " Does your mum know you're here?"

"No. I escaped through the window," said Henry flatly.

"Hmm… I know you like sailing lad, but don't you think she's going to worry when she finds you gone?" he asked. There was something clearly wrong here. Emma had called him on his cell-phone last night to tell him that she couldn't meet with him because she was dealing with a tricky situation regarding Henry and Regina. She had given him the gist, promising to explain in greater detail later.

Henry merely shook his head. He looked a little unsure before saying in a rush, "I came to ask for your help, Killian. Will you take me back to New York?"

Hook raised his eyebrow. He tied the ship's wheel to keep it steady, and stepping closer to Henry, said, "You mean just yourself?"

"Yes. I've had enough of Storybrooke. I want to go back to New York," said Henry, clenching his hands in frustration.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, lad," said Killian.

"You were going to help me when I didn't have any of my old memories," said Henry.

"You and I both know that was daft thing to do," said Killian, with a sardonic smile.

"You're only saying that because Emma will be angry with you," said Henry, accusingly. "I thought we were friends."

Killian noted Henry's use of Emma's given name instead of calling her "mom". He tried a different approach, "Even if I wanted to help, it's not going to be easy, Henry. The ice-wall goes all the way across the waters of Storybrooke. There are no gaps for even a tiny cockle boat to squeeze through."

Henry's shoulders sagged in disappointment. "Maybe we can throw ropes across, and I can climb over the ice wall," he suggested.

"And then what? You're going to hitch a ride with a mermaid?" asked Hook with a tiny smile teasing his lips.

"Well… take me to the town's edge then. I'll climb over there. I'll hitch a ride with someone. I've done it before," said Henry.

"Okay," said Hook, getting back to the wheel and navigating the boat towards the town line.

"Really? You're going to help me?" asked Henry eagerly.

"I'm taking you ashore. You haven't convinced me to help you leave Storybrooke yet, lad. Why don't you sit here and tell me why you want to leave?" said Hook, gesturing with his hook at the seat nearby. He shrugged of his jacket and handed it to Henry.

"Here, take this. It's cold," said Hook. While Henry was putting the jacket on, Hook surreptitiously took out his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at it. There was no signal. They would have to get closer to the shore before he would be able to contact Emma and reassure her of Henry's safety. It was only 6:30 in the morning. Emma may not even have noticed his disappearance yet. He hoped to spare Swan as much pain as possible.

"It's just that ever since I got my memories back, it's been one thing or the other," said Henry. "First, my dad died, and I didn't even get to talk to him because I only knew the part where he had sent my mom to jail."

Killian's eyes softened, but he looked troubled. Henry went on.

"Then Regina wouldn't talk to me because she was upset about Marian. And now Emma is not letting me see Regina because she thinks Regina is still a villain. I wish my grandpa had erased my Storybrooke memories when I asked him to. I was happier in New York," said Henry.

"Whoa! Slow down, lad! You asked Rumplestiltskin to erase your memories? What did he say?" A muscle twitched in Hook's jaw as he waited for Henry's answer.

"He wouldn't do it," said Henry. Hook let out a slow sigh of relief. "He said my memories are what make me who I am or something like that."

"I hate to say it, but I would have to agree with your grandfather," said Killian. "How is it going to help you if you forgot who everyone is? You wanted your mother to stay in Storybrooke, remember?"

"I was wrong. Life was much simpler in New York. I miss my friends. Everything was easier," said Henry.

"That's the thing about reality, Henry. It has a way of getting complicated," said Hook.

"Yeah, and now Emma is keeping me from seeing Regina, just like Regina used to," said Henry. "I don't like these complications."

Hook threw the boy a look of compassion. Clearly, he had been through a lot, even though he was still only a child. "Emma may have a good reason for what she's doing, lad," he suggested.

Henry looked defiant. "You were a villain too like my mom. How would you like it if someone told you that you hadn't changed, and couldn't get your Happy Ending?"

Hook winced. That hit rather closer home than Henry could have any idea of.

"My mom and were just trying to find the author of the Storybook together," said Henry. Killian recognized that Henry had meant Regina.

"Why do you want to find the person who wrote the Book?" asked Killian.

"Well, the book sees my mom as a villain. That's why she doesn't have a Happy Ending. But she's not a villain anymore. We wanted to find who wrote the book, and ask them to give Regina a Happy Ending," said Henry.

"Somehow, I don't think getting a Happy Ending is going to be that simple," said Hook. He continued, "Henry, I can see you're upset. But, running away from your problems is not going to solve anything. Tell me something: how long do you think you can make it on your own?"

"Well, I have a credit card, and once I get to our apartment, I can pick up some supplies and go stay in a hotel or something," said Henry.

"What will you do about money?" asked Killian.

"That's what the credit card's for," said Henry. Killian looked confused. "It's like plastic money—never mind. Anyways, the point is, I'll be able manage for a bit."

"And after that?" asked Killian.

"Well, maybe Emma will change her mind by then," said Henry.

"Henry, you and I both know your mum. She's not the kind to give in to blackmail," said Killian. "If anything were to happen to you, imagine how your mothers will feel? And your grandparents too! You can't want to walk out on everyone who cares for you, just because you are angry with them."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" asked Henry.

"I think you should talk to your mother—to Emma. Tell her everything you've told me, and ask her to explain why she wants to keep you from seeing Regina. She would never do anything to hurt you. I'm sure she's only trying to protect you," said Killian.

Henry looked depressed, and sighed. Killian reached out and ruffled Henry's hair.

"Now, chin up, lad, and enjoy the rest of your sail. Do you want to man the wheel for a bit?" asked Killian.

"Okay," said Henry with a little enthusiasm, and stepped up to the wheel.

Killian moved to the other end of the boat so Henry would not be able to overhear his conversation easily, and checked his cell phone again. There were two little bars on the top right. He pressed the "Emma" button, as he called it in his head, and held the instrument to his ear.

Emma picked up at the third ring.

"Killian!" she said. "I was just about to call you. Henry's gone missing." There was hitch in her voice as she said those words.

"Henry is with me on the boat, Swan," said Killian. "He is safe. I'm bringing him in now."

"You took him sailing without telling me?" asked Swan, with a hint of shocked anger.

Killian was not offended. She was a mother, reacting on instinct. And after all, it had not been too long ago that he had attempted to put Henry on a boat and send him away from Storybrooke with Smee.

"He'd snuck in before I took the boat out this morning," said Killian.

"Did he say why?" asked Emma.

"He… ugh. I guess he wanted to go sailing," said Killian. He did not wish to tell on the lad—it would be better if Henry confessed to his plan of sailing away to New York himself.

"Hmm…" said Emma, clearly not buying his explanation. " Did he tell you anything about what happened yesterday?"

Killian briefly explained what Henry had told him, leaving out the parts where he had asked for his help in running away from Storybrooke.

"How long before you get to the docks?" asked Emma.

"We should be there in another 15 to 20 minutes," said Killian.

"I'll be right over," said Emma, and ended the call.

Killian walked back to the helm. Henry looked at him with a questioning expression on his face.

"I didn't tell her you were planning to run away, lad," said Killian.

"You'll keep it a secret?" asked Henry, eagerly.

"I was thinking that _you_ should be the one to tell her that," said Killian.

Henry looked disappointed, but did not say anything.

When they reached the harbor, they saw the Emma's little yellow land vessel parked there, waiting.

"I'm sorry I bothered you Killian," said Henry. "I guess it was too much to ask you to take me to New York without telling my mom, huh?"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Henry. Remember, I'm always available if you want to talk," said Killian, helping Henry off the boat, and smiling at him.

Emma had seen them pull in. She ran up to them and hugged Henry.

"Henry! We were ready to raise the town looking for you! Don't run off without telling me again, okay?" said Emma pulling away from the hug, but still holding on to the lad.

Henry looked a little ashamed at that, but only nodded his head.

"Now why don't you go sit in the car? I'll be there in a minute," she said.

Emma then turned to Killian and said, "Thank you for bringing Henry in."

"Don't worry about it, Swan," said Killian, and looked at her searchingly. "Are you okay?"

"I don't even know," said Emma. She looked distressed. "This whole thing with Henry and Regina is getting really complicated. Then there's the Dairy Queen running around doing god knows what."

"Anything I can do to help?" asked Killian. He felt really concerned, and wanted to lighten Emma's burdens as much as he could. She had a lot on her plate right now.

"Look, can you help David and Elsa this morning? I'm going to take the morning off. I really need to have a talk with Henry," said Emma.

"Certainly," said Killian. "I think it's a good idea."

"Thanks, Killian," said Emma. She squeezed his hand gratefully, then got into the car and drove away.

Killian stood looking after the car, and then started walking towards Granny's Diner to get his breakfast. He would then go to the sheriff's station, and place himself at the disposal of the prince. He sighed. He had his own secrets from Emma. He would have to find the opportune moment to tell her. Would she be forgiving when she found out how far he had fallen again? He did not know…


End file.
